Track-skate-placing device



May 11 9 1926. 1,584,031

G. HANNAUER ET AL TRACK SKATE PLACING DEVICE Filed Sept. 8, 1924 Patented May 11, 1926.

UITE STATE.

GEORGE HANNAUER AND EDGAR IVI. WILCOX, CALUMET CITY, ILLINOIS, ASSLGNORS TO HANNAUER CAR RETARDER CQMPAR Y, 01* CHICAGO, ILLINOIE}, vA CORPORA- TION' OF ILLINOIS.

TRACK-SKATE-PLACING DEVICE.

Application filed September 8, 1924.

This invention relates to a track skate placing device.

The use of track skates tor frictionally retarding and stopping a railway car is old. As is known, track skates are usedprimarily in switch yards where trains are made up, and for the most part in emergency cases when the brakes on a car being switched fail and it is known that the car cannot be stopped within the required distance.

Such track skates are distributed around a switch yard and heretofore usually have been placed upon a rail manually, by picking up the skate and placing it upon the track. Such manual operation has resulted in many serious injuries and death to men placing skates on a track.

Accordingly, one object of the present invention is to avoid the necessity of a manual appplication of a skate upon a track and to provide means for automatically and ac curately placing a skate upon a track.

Another object is to provide simple, durable, reliable and eflicient means whereby a track skate may be properly placed upon a track in operative position to perform its function of trictionally retarding a car.

These and other objects are accomplished by means of the arrangement disclosed on the accompanying sheet of drawings, in which Figure l is a top plan view of our device whereby a track skate may be automatically placed in operative position upon a rail; and,

Figure 2 is a side elevation of the same arrangement showing the association of the skate placing device to a rail, the rail being shown in section.

The various novel features of the invention will be apparent from the following description and drawings and will be particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

Referring to the figures of the drawings, it will be noted that one embodiment of the invention is illustrated and includes a track skate support or pan 10 which has a main body portion 11 for supporting the upper portion 12 of a track skate and having a recessed or pocket portion 13 in which the lower or track-engaging portion 14: is carried. One end of the support 10 terminates in a vertical flange 15, to which brackets 16 Serial No. 736,413.

and 17 may be secured in any suitable main ner, These brackets 16 and 17 have aper-- tured arms 18 and 19, respectively, through which a pivot rod 20 extends, said pivot rod 20 also extending through apertured supporting members 21 preferably secured to the web 22 of the associated track rail 23.

Accordingly, it is seen that the support 10 for the track skate is pivotally mounted upon the pivot rod 20, and it will be observed by reference particularly to Figure 2, that the track skate support 10 is so shaped and positioned with respect to the rail 23 that when the skate support is swung on its pivot rod 20 from the position shown in full lines in Figure 2 in a counterclockwise direction through an angle of substantially 90, the track skate will be automatically set in operative position on the-rail 23, as shown in dotted lines in Figure 2. As is well known, the undersurtace 24C of the skate frictionally engages the top surface of the rail 23 for frictionally retarding and stopping the car. The side legs 25 of the track skate have an easy-working fit with respect to the sides of the top of the rail and are not relied upon particularly for frictionally retarding a car. Normally, the skate support 10 rests upon any suitable member 26 for holding said support in a horizontal position with a skate supported thereon ready for the emergency calling for a quick, accurate in automatic application of a track skate upon the rail.

In connection with the actuation of the skate support 10, the-bracket 16 terminates in a squared portion 27 to which an arm 28 is secured, the arm in turn being connected at 29 to the bifurcated end of a link 30, the opposite end of the link being pivotally connected at 31 to a jaw member 32 connected in turn to a piston rod 33, it being understood that'the piston is operated by fluid pressure within a cylinder 34. The opposite ends of the cylinder 34 have pipe connections 35 which lead from an ordinary four-way valve 36 connected with a supply pipe 37 and an exhaust pipe 38.

Let it be assumed that the parts are in the position shown in Figures 1 and 2 and it is desired to place a track skate 12 in operative position upon the rail 23. The valve will be operated in a manner to permit the flow of actuating fluid into the left-hand end of the cylinder 34 With the fluid in the right-hand end of the cylinder exhausting, whereupon the piston rod 33 will be forced to the right, causing an upward pivotal movement of the skate support 10 in a counterclockwise direction,- as viewed in Figure 2, to a point Where the track skate is accurately positioned upon the rail 23. Immediately thereafter the valve 36 ill be reversed so that the piston rod 33 will move to the left for lowering the skate support 10 in a clockwise direction to its normal position snovvn in Figure 2, To limit the endwise movement of the track skate upon its support 10, two studs 39 for engaging a portion of the skate are provided.

By means of the arrangeinent hereinabove described, a track skate may be quickly, simply and reliably placed upon a rail in a manner to meet all of the requirements under service conditions.

It is our intention to cover all modifications of the invention falling Within the spirit and scope of the following claims.

lVe claim:

1. In a track skate placing device, a support for a track skate having a main body portion for supporting the upper portion of a track skate and having a pocket portion for supporting another portion of the track skate.

2. In a track skate placing device, a support for a track skate having a main body portion for supporting the upper port-ion of i track skate and having a pocket portion for.

supporting another portion of the track skate, and means for l1m1t1ng longitudinal movement of the track skate upon said support.

In a track skate placing device, the combination of a support for a track skate, said support being shaped to normally im movably support a track skate thereon, and a pivotal mounting for said support so located with respect to a track rail that the legs of the track skate Will properly straddle the top of the track rail When said support is actuated for placing the skate on the track rail, said. support having a pocket for the rail straddling portion otthe skate.

a. In combination, a bracket secured to a track rail, and a support for a track skate movably connected to bracket for moving a track skate and applying same'tothe rail, said support having a pocket for receiving said engaging portion of said skate.

5. In combination, a bracket secured to a track rail, and a support for a track skate pivotally connected to said bracket :tor'moving a track skate and applying same to the rail, said support having a pocket for receiving the rail engaging portion of said skate.

G. In combination, a bracket secured to a track rail, a support for a track skate movably' connected to said bracket for moving a track skate and applying same to the rail, said support having a pocket for receiving the rail engaging portion of said skate, and means for actuating said skate support.

Signed at Gibson, Ind, this 22nd day of August, 1924. I

GEORGE HANNAUER. EDGAR M, WILCOX; 

